Cassie's Story of the 56th Hunger games
by Statsbat
Summary: Cassie a tribute from district 10 was reaped for the 56th hunger games. will she live to be with the ones she loves in the capitol or will she die at the hand of another?
1. The Reaping

I woke up, heart racing from the dream I'd been having recently, the same dream. Over and over again. It was Athi being reaped. 'It can't happen, can it?' I whispered. Reluctantly I drag myself out of bed and crept into our kitchen. On the table was the small package for my sister I know she'll love it. Then I notice a letter on the floor addressed to me. It hadn't been there yesterday night so I assumed the post had come early. Then I remembered why...

"The reapings." I growled through gritted teeth.

Then I noticed the handwriting and once again forgot about the reapings. After ripping off the envelope, I sat down and began to read.

_Dear Cassie._

_It's that time of year again for you, good luck in not being picked! I can't wait for you to move here to the capitol, you and your sister will love it! Also, I want your sister to have this it's a real jay feather. She can put it in her feather collection, tell her that when she comes to the capitol, I will treat her as a late birthday present but this will have to do until then. _

I paused and shook the envelope, a beautifully coloured feather dropped into my lap the light from the window making it shine vibrant colours across the walls.

_I hope you're not making too many rebel stories, words got to the capitol about rebel stories from several of the districts and I'd hate for the next time I see you for you to be dead. Well any way my sister has said that you'll be sent for as soon as all of the paperwork has been signed by the mayor of your district so don't go getting you're self into too much trouble! But keep yourselves safe and sound I'll never let you go without a fight. So good luck today to both you and your sister and I love you._

_Ian_

I hear shuffling from the room above and after folding up Ian's letter and carefully hiding it from the prying eyes of my sister, I make some toast. The crust is slightly stale but the butter melts into it softening it until all of the yellowy cream has melted. I pick up my sisters birthday parcel and head up stairs.

I race through to Athi's room, holding the toast for her. Happy Birthday!" I cry. She smiles and grabs the toast right out of my hand. I pass her the parcel wrapped in brown paper. She rips it open, and a pale yellow dress with pink embroidery along the bottom falls into her lap.

"How did you afford this?" she asks incredulously. I shrug. Everyone loves little Athi. Everyone loves me. A lot of people owe me a favour or two. They were willing to donate a little money.

"Do you like it?" I ask.

"Like it?" Athi cries. "_Like it_? Of course I do!"

"You can wear it to the reapings," I say. She nods. This is her first reaping. I can see from the look on her face, whatever she says, she's _really_ scared.

She nods. "Yup. I'll get ready now."

"Okay. I need to go make me look pretty now, too," I say.

Athi makes a face. "You always look pretty," she says. I don't argue, but it really isn't true. I go into my own room, trying desperately to tame my mousy-brown hair, but it refuses. In the end I give up, and just tie it up, in whatever state. I pull on a white dress with a blue sash that used to be my mother's before she died in a fire a year ago.

"You look lovely," Athi says when I come back into her room. I smile.

"Do you mind if we go to the reapings a little bit early?" I ask, biting down some lunch. Athi shakes her head.

"Of course I don't mind! Why do you want to go though?"

"I want to see Maisie. You coming?"

Athi nods and takes my hand. We walk along the streets towards the square. I stop a quite few times, basically whenever I see someone I know. By the time I get to Maisie's house, we're not exactly early any more.

"You took your time!" she says.

I sigh. "I know, I know."

Maisie just grins. "Hey Athi! Happy Birthday!" She pulls something out of her pocket, and fastens it around Athi's neck. A little necklace, with a pale pink gem pendant.

Athi gasps. "It's lovely!"

"Isn't it?" Maisie smiles. "Come on, we better get going." She takes Athi's other hand, and we walk the rest of the way to the reapings together. When we get there, I give Athi one final hug, and she walks into the other girls of twelve. I join Maisie in the sixteen-year-olds section. A few good lucks are passed to me from everyone and I wish good luck back. In front of me a girl called Emily breaks down into loud sobs just as the Capitol woman stands up. I pass her a wad of tissues which she thankfully takes before a deathly silence begins.

The Capitol woman does her little not so reassuring speech. Then, before I know it, she's reaching to pick out a girl's name.

"And our _lucky_ girl this year is... Athena Taylor!"

The world freezes around me. I can't think properly. I see little Athi come out of the twelve-year-old girls, and I panic.

"I volunteer!" I shout. The crowd reluctantly parts, letting me up to the stage. "I volunteer!" I know I can't let Athi die. I don't know what chance I have. But I have a better chance than little Athi. I can see tears streaming down from her eyes. Yeah, best birthday present. Being reaped, and then losing your sister. She's must be having a great day.

Maisie comes up and takes Athi's hand reassuring her that I'll be fine. As she walks away she mouths 'see you in a bit.' Eventually the capitol woman who had gone as white as a sheet wobbly walked over to the boys names.

"Now, for our boy!" the Capitol woman cries, after the excitement of having a volunteer. She plucks out a name. "And it is... Polit Hutyer!"

Polit begins walking to the stage, and without even a chance to get onto the stage, a boy shouts "I volunteer!" Wow, the Capitol woman might pass out from all the excitement. Two volunteers from District Ten. Wow.

When he gets up to the stage, the Capitol woman looks like she's about to faint so she runs off of the stage swaying in a state of drunkenness the mayor finishes the reapings asking the volunteers names I realise that he's the district 8 runaway when he says Romeo Zuazo. He's a kind boy I know this because he looks after Polit. Not everyone will look after someone, it's that kind of act that earns you respect here.


	2. Laughter in the Justice building

After being lead to the justice building, I wait for any visitors I know I'll get a couple as loads of people know me I just doubt any will be cheerful. After twiddling with mothers sash and redoing m hair a couple of times, Athi bursts in with Maisie close behind.

"Cassie!" Athi exclaims running over her hair bouncing all over the place since the yellow ribbon had not been tied in place properly. "I bought you these!" I noticed the box of keepsakes that I'd hidden under the bed was being held by Maisie. I opened the top and pulled out the first slip of paper as I opened it the feather fell out and slid to the floor.

"It's... It's beautiful!" cried Athi carefully picking it up.

"It's yours" I told her "It's your birthday gift from Ian." A knock came on the door just as Maisie opened her mouth to speak. I laughed "it seems your communicating with me through the art of knock speaking." We took a moment to compose ourselves before the mayor entered, closely followed by the Bakers family (whom my mother saved a year ago).

"I received these two forms when I entered my office" the mayor said. "One was for yourself the other was for your sister. Unfortunately I received them too late for you however; I would be more than happy to sign for your sister if you wished me to."

"Yes" my tone was cold and I looked at Maisie who was staring into the abyss."But can you change the name on the other?" I asked

"Why yes but..."

"Then change it to Maisie. If I cannot go with my sister then I request my best friend Maisie who has no other family members, to accompany her to the capitol."

"Yes a good decision, a good decision." He mumbled leaving the room in a flurry of fabric.

"Hello Cassie" Mrs Baker sat down next to me. "We won't be long but we came to wish you luck and we were going to say that we'd take your sister in, but it seems she was given a better deal."

"Thank-you" I whispered "I would have entrusted her in your care had another offer from someone in the capitol not, well, offered."

I stood up with the Bakers as they left Mrs Baker hugging me before leaving. Then in comes Athi's best friend Lila who ran over to Athi before even acknowledging anyone else's presence!

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY ATHI!" she cried. "Oh, uh, hi Cass, sorry someone else didn't volunteer." Athi looked at me begging to go with Lila.

"Go, enjoy your birthday, you'll be safe from the reapings now." Before she left, she said "Come back for me Maisie's an awful tribute sister" I laughed as we hugged for what could be the last time.

It was finally just me and Maisie. "How can I ever thank you Cassie, you've made me immune from the reapings by moving me to the capitol."

"Just keep my sister safe, that's all the thanks I need that and when you're there, try and find a rich guy and persuade them to sponsor me till their money runs dry!"

We laughed for a moment before pausing and laughing again we didn't stop laughing until Maisie was told that she had to leave. Before she left, she said "There was a queue to see you, you know, I was accompanying your sister so I got priority." She paused unsure of what to say

"I'll miss you; I think the whole district will. You were my best friend."

"Hey less of the were and more of the always will be! She left laughing and for the first time in the justice building laughter rang through the halls on a reaping day."


	3. Train to the Capitol

It was unbearable! I hated every moment of it. Ok that's a lie, Romeo's silence was driving me nuts in the train, and it was almost as if he expected me to make all the conversation. After the first few minutes, I realised talking was getting us nowhere so I gave up and thought about my sister, her new guardian Maisie and how I was seeing every sight that they would.

When the train was pulling closer to the capitol, I was almost scared, when I say almost, I mean almost. But it was pretty daunting.

The capitol was beautiful! It was completely different to what I've known in district 10, the women were dressed in bright colours the men looked almost too smart and the children were oblivious to the sad faces staring at them from the train windows, 23 I knew of, mine was a serene face (well at least I hope it was!).

A sad thought popped into my head from the cheerful faces outside, if Athi hadn't been reaped, or I hadn't volunteered for her, I would be here indulging myself in the splendour of the capitol, not here to fight to the death. We were pulling into the station when I saw him waiting.

Ian.

But he wasn't looking at me. When I came off the train, I might as well have been invisible. Then I saw them, my sister and Maisie, I hadn't even known they were on the train. Did they even know I was on there? Surely they must have, I mean the number of peacekeepers on the train must have been suspicious, mustn't they?

But they ignored me. It wasn't until they were about to leave the train platform that Ian noticed me.

"Cassie?" he asked questioningly.

"Thought, you'd never notice me!" I told him.

"I'm so sorry! My sisters killing herself for not doing the paperwork earlier, you'd have been here before the." He stopped mid sentence. "You know, the erm... thing"

I put a hand on his shoulders and said "tell your sister, she's saved my sister and best friend, and that was more than I could have ever asked for." Than I leant forward and brushed a tear from his face, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Time to go" a peacekeeper put a hand on my shoulder and lead me towards the other tributes.

I turned round and smiled at him "I'll fight until I'm back" I called "I can't die without seeing you once more"

when we got to where we'd be training, well let's just say I was more than adamant now to survive than I'd ever been before the reapings, and no one can stand my way no one.


	4. Training begins

Training began almost as soon as we arrived, I say almost as we had the opening ceremonies, which to be honest made us all look ridiculous fortunately, my prep team wasn't too bad, you see they put us in outfits that represent our districts and mine wasn't great but at least I wasn't as bad as what the tributes had to wear last year, and I did get a fur coat, which looked rather nice on top of the hide dress. I won't describe what Romeo looked like just that he looked much worse than I did!

When the Ceremonies are over, we are given some time to freshen ourselves up and change before training really begins. I picked out a blue tracksuit thing and found a yellow ribbon that I tied my hair up with. It reminded me of my sister. When we were called down to begin training I headed for the bow and arrows station, I've always loved the elegance of the bow and yet the strength required to actually shoot something worth shooting. I picked out a bow with a simple arch and a string that was beginning to fray. I thought about something my father said before he died, 'when picking a weapon, the most beautiful one can draw you towards it, but it's not always the most beautiful one that provides you with the best chance.' I think I must have said that last bit out loud because one of the trainers that I hadn't noticed when I came in said "your absolutely correct, and in fact the one that you chose was used by the last winner from district 10 and you are the first person since then to have picked it out. So have a go at shooting the target over there."

I walk up to the target and pull out an arrow from the quiver beside me. I take a minute to work out the best way to stand and eventually find a comfortable position. Then I work on actually working out how to shoot. It doesn't take me long and I take a shot just missing the bullseye. The trainer moves next to me and helps me find the right positioning for the arrow. He pulls the arrow behind my eye and puts a hand over the other. I don't complain as it feels right. I take shot. When the trainer removes his hand I can see my shot better.

"Bulls-eye, now try again on your own." The trainer steps back. Once again I position myself this time I take the hints the trainer had given me and closed my eye pulling the arrow back and making the bow taut. When I let go I step back to see how badly I'd done. But instead the trainer began clapping and said, "now you've got the technique, it's time to get the speed" he picked up another simple bow and arrow and in one swift movement positioned himself and took a lethal shot which split the arrow that I'd shot in half. I was amazed and pleaded him teach me how to do it like that. He eventually gave in but not before telling me to go and eat because I'd need my strength.

At lunch I decided I needed to try and make an ally but instead I just played with my food occasionally smiling at people but no one smiled back. After a while I just gave up ate my food, and left heading for the bow and arrows station. When I get there, there's already someone talking to the trainer - Brandi, the girl from District Nine. She moves on to the next station after a minute - knives. She throws them at the target, at first, just hitting the outside rings, but she quickly moves on to hit just about a bullseye every time.

She catches me staring, and I quickly pick up a bow and quiver of arrows, trying to look like I wasn't. It's a pretty bad attempt though, so I stop, turn, and smile.

"Would you help me?" I ask her. "Learn to throw a knife?"

She nods and beckons me over. "You've got to keep your hand steady," she says, flicking a knife at the target. I pick up one, and try to follow her lead. I hit the very bottom edge of the target. "Good for a first try," Brandi says. "Just keep practicing."

I do as she says, and it doesn't take me long to be hitting the target reasonably close to the middle. "Thanks," I say.

"You're a fast learner," Brandi says. "We could team up, be allies if you want?"

I nod. "I'd like that." I smile; glad I'm not going to be going into the arena on my own any more, that I'll have an ally.

I spent an hour or so with her on the knives station before returning to my favourite so far bows and arrows. I slowly began to quicken my speed and was then set to trying to hit moving targets. When I'd perfected that, the trainer decided there was no more he could teach me and gave me the choice of trying something new or just practicing. I decided that as there was only half an hour before dinner so I decided to practice throwing knives. Brandi was still there and while we practiced, we discussed our lives outside of all the commotion. I told her about Athi and how I volunteered for her even though I could have been somewhere else in the capitol with my boyfriend. I also told her about my mother. I never told her about my father, there's a time and place for that not here.

We left when the bell rand to signify dinner was ready; we sat together and began to discuss our opponents when a voice rang out "Gamemakers session one hour."  
>I'd completely forgotten that was today. We quickly finished our dinners and left towards the waiting room.<p>

It was an agonizing wait. When Brandi was called in I wished her luck saying, "Trust me, I've seen you, you'll do great!" she smiled back but she still looked stressed.

"See you on the other side"

When it was finally my turn I was more than ready, I'd planned it all down to the last moment, but you can never tell how it will pan out. I began by picking out a bow and quiver of arrows. Then I call for a few trainers. I begin by running around them hiding and darting out again to fire shots. The gamemaker looks impressed so I change weapons, picking up a few knives and creeping closer to the trainers. They still can't keep track of me so I finish up with the final trainer engaging with him until I can slice at his legs, when he was down I turn around nod to the gamemaker and leave pleased with how it turned out.

Brandi was waiting for me and we left towards our rooms discussing how our gamemaker sessions went. Brandi thinks she could have done better with more time to train. We stand outside Romeo and my room chatting before I hear the music that we hear every year at home.

"Hey sounds like the scores are up, I'll see you tomorrow!" Brandi shouted running into her room next door.

I entered the room and Romeo was already sitting waiting. I sat down next to him on the sofa as the scores flashed up

**District 1**

_Male: Boast Paklie _

_Training Score: 8 _

_Female: Glass May_

_Training Score: 9_

Careers I thought, it's to be expected.

**District 2**

_Male: Reid Joyce_

_Training Score: 9_

_Female: Remilla Moonstone Scarlet_

_Training Score: 5_

Reid did well but it was to be expected from a career I felt sorry for Remilla as it was well below the average score for her district.

**District 3**

_Male: Bolt Wiressy_

_Training Score: 6_

_Female: Doe Anchent_

_Training Score: 6_

Reasonable enough

**District 4**

_Male: Ozzy Rodregez_

_Training Score: 7_

_Female: Halcyone "Halcy" Thalassa Undine_

_Training Score: 8_

That's very good, I'd seen Halcy practicing and thought she looked pretty strong then I remembered 'oh yeah careers.' Then I just sat and watched not really thinking about them.

**District 5**

_Male: Mic Jobs_

_Training Score: 4_

_Female: Mckenna Stone_

_Training Score: 6_

**District 6**

_Male: Tate Irvine_

_Training Score: 4_

_Female: Vixen Class_

_Training Score: 9_

Vixen has career all over with that score.

**District 7**

_Male: Luis Dembo_

_Training Score: 6_

_Female: Aya Breau_

_Training Score: 7_

**District 8**

_Male: Issac Vredenburg_

_Training Score: 5_

_Female: Amber Joyce_

_Training Score: 8_

**District 9**

_Male: Dylan Godfrey_

_Training Score: 5_

_Female: Brandi Hahn_

_Training Score: 6_

I was surprised at Brandi's score, because she was a fast learner.

Then I realised it was my turn

**District 10**

_Male: Romeo Zuazo_

_Training Score: 5_

_Female: Cassandra "Cassie" Artemis Taylor_

_Training Score: 8_

An 8. I was astonished perhaps a little disappointed knowing I could have done better with more time but you can't have everything.

**District 11**

_Male: Lucian Morgan "Luka" Ross_

_Training Score: 6_

_Female: Bailey Goldsmith_

_Training Score: 7_

**District 12**

_Male: Kalen Rizza_

_Training Score: 4_

_Female: Limit Ride_

_Training Score: 6_

Now I was getting worried, so as I left to go to bed I began to formulate a plan. The interviews are tomorrow but I won't let that bring me down.


	5. Day 1 of the games - the bloodbath

My stylist makes a few final adjustments to my outfit when she's happy, she nods to me, and I go to stand on my platform. I feel tense about what was going to happen, as it rises up.

I get my first glance of the arena. The cornucopia, with supplies and weapons spread from it, and the other tributes on their platforms are all in the centre of a reasonably small island. Two long, quite thin wooden bridges run from the island, across a calm-looking lake, to the rest of the arena beyond - a landscape of hills and trees. I look around for Brandi. She was there and looked stronger than I've seen her since the reapings.

The gong sounds, and we immediately run forward and grab a pack each and a handful of weapons. Then we set off towards one of the bridges. Thankfully missing the bloodbath. When we got into the woods we looked for a place to make a camp but i could see that Brandi was not happy so we kept moving.

Three cannons sound. The bloodbath must be over. Only three cannons! That's pretty terrible. As I think it, another sounds. Four dead. Four families who will be grieving for the rest of their lives.

We find a sheltered spot next to a stream that's far enough away from the cornucopia for us not to be found. At least not today anyway. As it starts to darken in the arena, the faces appear in the sky. First Dylan from 9 appears. I asked Brandi if she knew him she just stayed silent and kept watching the sky. I took that as an 'I don't want to talk about it, it will only hurt.'

Next was Tate from 6 followed by Mic and then Mckenna. Both district five. No district five winners this year then. The sky turns dark and i offer to take first watch knowing nothing will happen tonight, everyone will be resting to pounce tomorrow.


	6. Day 2 of the games - Realisms

We spent the day walking careful to cover our tracks as we went. Several times we thought that we had been spotted only to discover it was a small rodent or a mutt. We weren't bothered about the rodents and not too worried about the mutts, but you can never be too careful. Thankfully we were down wind the whole day so they paid no attention to us. After a while we decided to rest so I climbed a tree to get a better view of where we were. I could just see the cornucopia island without sticking my head out of the canopy, by the looks of it there was a camp around it. Careers standing their ground. Not too far away from them about a kilometre or so was a column of smoke rising up out of the trees and my immediate thought was 'they seriously want to get themselves killed don't they.' I turned around and followed the path of the river. In the distance, was a rock face, good to hide but not good if you get attacked. I carried on following the river path and noticed a small grove of trees laden with fruit. A good place to stock up if it's edible.

I called down to Brandi and jumped down. We quickly packed up and headed in the direction of the grove. I hadn't quite comprehended the distance and it took us the majority of the day to get there. When we did get there, there was still some light so we could see the fruit. There were all types of fruit trees, but we picked only the citrus fruits because we knew they couldn't have been poisoned. As night drew in we found a spot next to the stream that was protected enough for us not to be spotted but easy enough for us to escape if we needed to.

There's only one face in the sky tonight – Romeo. As it finishes, Brandi volunteer to watch while I sleep. As i lay down in my sleeping bag it suddenly dawns on me about the reality of the games, only one of us will live. 23 others will die, and the one who lives will wish it was them.

About an hour passed while I slept only to be awoken by an agitated Brandi.

"Cassie!"

I grab my bow and quiver of arrows. Slinging our packs over our shoulders, ready to run. I can make out the figure of a girl, running towards us, but so far I can't see what's pursuing her. We back up a little, uncertain of whether to stand and fight, or run.

It's only when the girl is only a few seconds away when we see the mutts properly. Three huge black dogs, with glowing red eyes. The girl keeps on running until she reaches us. We let her pass, and once she's behind us she just about collapses. I wonder how long those mutts have been chasing her.

I take aim and let an arrow fly. It hits the throat of the first mutt, which falls to the ground. The second goes for Brandi, who sends a knife flying between its eyes.

I finish off the last mutt with a second flying arrow in throat. I retrieve my arrows and Brandi's knife, and we turn to the girl behind us, who has passed out. She's pretty bashed up. There are scratches all down her back and along her legs, which, though they don't appear to be deep, are bleeding pretty badly. We could just leave her to die, or kill her now, but we don't. Instead, I pulled out a first aid kit, and started dabbing at the cuts. But we've got nowhere near enough to treat her. All we can do is clean and bandage the wounds, and hope the wounds don't get infected. But they're going to cause the girl a whole lot of pain.

When the girl wakes, we get her to eat a little, but she's almost too weak for that. I work out who she is - Aya, the girl from seven.

I take the next watch covering Aya with a blanket. Brandi's unsure whether to sleep but eventually does saying that we'll need our strength and now we've got a new ally we need more food and supplies.

I watch over Aya thinking about how shallow her breathing is, at least she is breathing.


	7. Day 3 of the games - Rich sponsors

As the sun begins to rise, I go to scout around to check there are no more mutts about while Brandi finishes tending to Aya.

I travel down the stream because I can see the sky and check for flying mutts. I'm on my way back towards the camp when a silver parachute drops from the sky. I pick out the contents. A bow and a full quiver of arrows, a few knives, and a little first aid kit. Wow, I must have some rich sponsors. I gather everything up, and head back to Aya and Brandi.

When I get back to our camp, Aya looks fairly terrible. Brandi is trying to get a little bit of mashed up cracker into Aya, but I can see she's struggling.

"I got this," I say, handing her the first aid kit. She opens it. It has so much stuff crammed into it, that I think, possibly, we'll be able to heal Aya. We try some pills on her, and she perks up a little enough for us to get some food into her.

"You've got some good sponsors," Brandi says when I show her everything I got. "I wonder if I've got any."

"I'm sure you have," I say. I pull one of the knives out of my belt. They really are quite nice they're simple and sturdy, and I can see that the make spent hours heating and cooling the blade to strengthen it..

"Do you want this?" I ask Brandi, as she's better with knives than me.

Brandi shakes her head. "I couldn't, honestly."

"Fine..." I pause "you're sure?" I ask trying to give it to her.

She nods. "Sure."

We go back to tending to Aya. She's a bit better now, but slightly disorientated. We can't really leave her behind now, and I suppose, if she gets better, she'll make a reasonable ally. She got a pretty good training score.

After what we guess to be an hour, we give Aya some more food and another pill. A little colour returns to her face, and she tries to stand up, but she's way too weak for that. I'll admit I'd like to get moving pretty soon, but currently, that isn't an option. Instead we wait and listen in time like this the silence is golden.


	8. Day 4 of the Games - Aya wakes

Brandi and I are over by the stream when we hear shuffling behind us. We turn around and Aya trying to stand. I call over, "Are you OK?" she nods obviously trying not to worry us or trying to decide if we were planning on how to kill her. She replied "Yeah... I'm OK."

She began to shiver so I grabbed the blanket i had around me and wrapped it around her. "There." I also pass some food to her it's a few crackers and a some berries that I had collected earlier. She joins us by the stream as we eat "How are you feeling?" Brandi asks Aya.

"A bit... weak," she says. I give her a little pill. She looks at it a little resentful unsure if she should trust it.

"These made you a bit better yesterday. We've been rationing them though, in case anything else happens," I say.

"Thanks," she replies smiling.

"We're going to stay here for a little while, until you're a bit stronger," Brandi says to her.

"You don't have to..." she mumbles under her breath. "If I'm holding you back..."

"No, honestly. We've decided we want you to be our ally. So we're not leaving you behind," I say firmly.

"Er... thanks." She replies. "I suppose you're wondering what happened, when the mutts found me." Brandi and I glance at each other turn back to Aya and nod.

"Well it's still a little hazy but here goes."

"I was sitting at the base of a big oak tree when I heard growling behind me. I stood up, immediately knowing there was a mutt somewhere near. I thought I could probably take it. I hadn't bargained on three mutts."

"My only option was to run. They snapped at me, and once or twice one would catch me, rake me with it's claws, but they never brought me down. Half dead, I stumbled upon some other tributes. The last thing I properly remember is one of them cleaning my wounds." She paused trying to remember.

"The last day or so is blurry. I remember more of my wounds being cleaned and bandaged. I remember pain. I remember being fed. I remember the pills that made me feel better."

She stopped. "Thats it. It leads up to now."

"You've been through a lot, and its only the 4th day." Brandi said.

Aya nodded." Yeah and several more to go."

"Well you're with us now." We all smiled and began to laugh we had a good alliance.


	9. Day 5 of the games - Rats in the bushes

I walk slowly. We're in no hurry, after all. Aya isn't exactly the fastest, either, right now, but she decided she could probably manage to walk a bit. I'll admit I was starting to feel a bit restless, after staying in the same place for days, so I am glad to be on the move again. We're slowly making our way up towards a sort of castle ruins, though I have a bad feeling about that. I suppose I think there might be other tributes there already. It's a landmark in the vast arena. There might be something interesting there.

We're getting close, when I trip. I slam, face down, into the ground. I groan, but I'm fairly unhurt I think. I'm about to get up again, when I look to my left.

I scream. I can't help it. To my left, waiting in the undergrowth - rats. Hundreds of rats with beady red eyes, staring hungrily. I scramble up, brushing down my grazed hands and knees. The other two look at me, confused.

"Run," I whisper to them. I look at Aya. She can't exactly run. "Okay... go as quickly and quietly as you can."

As we walk, as fast as we can go, I still shake. I feel like I can hear a rustling around me, behind me, as the rats swarm about us, and I constantly wonder why they don't attack. I quietly explain to Aya and Brandi what I saw, and they realise why I've suddenly become so scared. I feel like those rats will haunt me forever, until my dying moments, however soon that may be. I just silently pray it isn't death by rat.

We get quickly closer to the castle, but it freaks me out. I'm probably just feeling especially paranoid. But I can't shake off the feeling, just like I can't get rid of that horrible feeling after seeing those rats, so we skirt past it, and keep walking.

I honestly don't want to stop walking. I know I'll never sleep, and I'm so afraid that if we stop, the rats will catch us, but finally we have to. Aya looks ready to faint, and I really am tired. I just feel so jumpy, and my skin crawls every few seconds as the image I've been trying to push away comes back up.

We settle down among the trees. I volunteer to watch, seeing as I know I'll never sleep anyway, and climb high up into a tree.


	10. Day 6 of the games - The Earthquake

collapse in on itself, it didn't feel like it was part of the game the capitol was playing, it just felt scary. You could tell it was part of the capitols game though by the blood red sky. Or that could just be because it was the evening.

Around us, trees were falling as we ran towards the clearing ahead of us, branches were falling, we had to walk through a cave and rocks were falling on top of us, I went at the back of our group only to have a large boulder fall in front of me blocking the path

"CASSIE!" Aya and Brandi shouted.

"Go. Get to the clearing, I'll meet you there!" I ran back towards the entrance, rocks and boulders falling on top of me. i noticed a group of mutts heading towards the cave so I ran out and hid. When they were in there, I grabbed a rock that had fallen and threw it at the roof of the cave causing the entrance to avalanche blocking the mutts inside.

I found a stream and headed in the direction of the clearing, the stream was being shaken and mini tsunamis were attacking the shore. When I got to the clearing I was tired, Bruised and my clothes were soaking wet. In the middle of the clearing were Brandi and Aya they looked sad and depressed and as I came stumbling upon them, I collapsed too tired to carry on. There were no faces in the sky, either no-one died or they couldn't tell who was dead.


	11. Day 7 of the games - Thirteen

We sit together in the centre of the clearing attending to our wounds. As I tend to the fire, I look over at Brandi, clearly missing her home and daughter. Then I turn my thoughts to Aya. I never asked her about her family, it just didn't feel right. Then I think of Athi, I'm only here because I wanted to protect her. I can't tell you how much I miss her.

I pull my thought away from home and turn my attention to the fire. Pulling a rabbit we caught earlier in the day. We went hunting as soon as the quake had stopped and Brandi suggested that we cook it as no one will want to attack anyone else today as they would be recovering from the earthquake.

I ripped of a small chunk to taste. It took me back home. To dinners with Athi and Maisie oh how I missed it!

"Dinner!" I call, giving everyone a large portion. "Everybody ready for the best part of the evening - finding out who died."

We all move to look up at the sky as the anthem plays. The first face in the sky is the boy from District One, Boast. He was only twelve. Then the mad girl from District Two... another twelve-year-old. Next is Halcy from four, who I can only remember as the girl who turned up soaking wet. Finally is Bailey from Eleven. Then the seal of Panem glows in the sky, and we sit in silence for a minute.

"Well, there you go," I say. "Thirteen of us left..."


	12. Day 8 of the games - wake of the quake

We knew that after that quake, the capitol are going all or nothing. We decided to move back towards the cornucopia to size up how many careers were left. Seems we weren't the only ones with the idea of checking out the competition, we fell into a squabble with Luis Aya's district partner who attempted to kill me with a sharpened stick before attacking Aya shouting that she was a witch and had summoned the quake to win. Aya accidentally killed him by pushing him into a fallen tree where he was impaled by a snapped branch.

"No one hurts my friends Luis. And you weren't exactly jumping up and down to be mine." With that she grabbed my hand just like my sister would and led me away. We had moved about a mile when the cannon fired signifying his death. Still in shock I jumped only to have Brandi put a hand on my shoulder and say its ok.

After a breather, and a couple of crackers we set off again, narrowly avoiding a collision with Issac and Amber from district 8 but we did listen in on their conversation.

"Issac, I know the careers are going to be a problem, but surely we should be staking out some of the others, what about that district 10 girl? She could be a problem."

"listen Amber something she did made the game makers give her an 8 and she partnered up with that other one, from 9, Brandi was it?"

"yes but don't forget Issac. I got an 8 as well and all I did was kick a few trainers."

"besides, she seemed the sort of person who would ally with some of the pathetic ones. Who's to say she hasn't got an army of weaklings with her?"

"oh you mean how she volunteered for that kid at the reapings? Issac darling. I volunteered for your sister don't forget!"

"I haven't."

"and our deal still stands."

"I know."

I signalled to brandi and Aya before mouthing "What deal?"Aya mouthed back "No idea" and Brandi pointed to Issac and Amber

"so are we going to kill someone today or do I have to kill you Issac Darling?" I'd hate for us to drag our relationship out much longer, you're going to die at some point. And you know I'd rather save you so you can honor our deal."

"Well, I think I saw some smoke not far from here, we could try there. See if it's a loner or not."

"you're so boring. Why kill off a loner, when you can kill two or more birds with one blade?"

"because if you haven't forgotten. We have that deal."

"oh yes. I suppose you're right darling. Lead the way."

As soon as they had moved on and we deemed that they definitely coming back we headed out of our hiding spot and once again on our quest towards the cornucopia.

One more cannon fired just as we reached the edge of the cornucopia clearing. We ignored it and peeked through the foliage. And sure enough there in the centre of the clearing in the mouth of the cornucopia was the careers. darkness began to set in and the capitols anthem played. Two more dead and one of them was nearly me. We sat in silence till the anthem died down.

"Cassie are you OK?" Brandi queried.

"tonight. We attack the careers tonight."


	13. Day 8 of the games(eve) - Nobody listens

WARNING there is some swearing I apologize if you are offended.

"But Cassie that's just asking to be killed! Brandi help!?" Aya started to panic I chose to ignore.

"I'm sick of this. I'm sick of the games. I never wanted to be here. Hell I could have been in the capitol right now with my little sister knowing that neither of us would have to go through this crap ever. "

"Cassie. I could be at home with my daughter. Aya could be at home with her mother and father. None of us wanted to be here and its likely none of us standing here in this clearing are going to survive this."

"Well then let's die fighting. They want a show? Then let's give them one."

"No." I span around. Aya was backed against a tree my bow in hand.

"What are you doing with that? Give it back!" I tried grabbing but Aya just ducked out of the way.

"You're crazy Cassie if you think I'm going to let you walk in there and try and kill those careers at least without taking time to think of a suitable plan and until you calm down, I don't trust you." And there it was. I was shocked. Here little Aya who nearly died and we save was threatening me. And then it hit me. Trust. I no longer trusted myself to live and so I was willing to go on a suicide mission which would make it easier for someone to kill Aya and Brandi. Our mismatched alliance was falling apart and all because of me.

I sank to my knees. Thorns from the brambles hidden under leaves digging into my legs.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

I could feel a hand on my shoulder and another on my elbow pulling me into a hug a single tear made its way down my cheek and onto Brandi's shoulder.

"We're all afraid of death Cassie. I don't want to lose my daughter. Aya just wants to go home. But only one of us can come out of this place alive and I want it to be one of us. I'm willing to die to help you and I know you'll do the same. But rash decisions like running in there all guns blazing isn't going to help. We need the calm and collected Cassie who always has a plan ready."

"I… I don't know if I can be that person anymore."

"I believe you can."

"I do too Cassie. Here's your bow back by the way. I'm sorry I took it, but I couldn't let you run off"

"I can try. Perhaps it would be best to move on. I think we need to rest"

"And there's our little leader back" Brandi smiled at me, clapping me on the back as I clutched my bow. I tried a small smile back but inside I knew that I was screaming.

I'd scream out loud if I thought it would help. But here, everyone hears you. But nobody listens.


End file.
